A Fresh Perspective on Travel Every Day
My first visit to Beirut was something of an unplanned detour. Twenty years ago in Damascus, I took an impromptu shared taxi between the two capitals, armed with little more than a flyer for a cheap hotel in the Hamra district that a fellow backpacker had given me.
For a city with such a storied reputation, Beirut is geographically quite small. You can walk across it in about an hour, traversing districts rich in history, diverse confessions, and iconic sites. The beauty of Beirut’s neighborhoods can be found by meandering through the streets, enjoying the scent of jasmine, and frequently stopping for coffee with local residents.
Dubai and Tel Aviv may be today’s party capitals of the Middle East, but Beirut’s reputation for fun has been solid for decades. You’re spoiled for choice in this city, whether you’re looking for glitz (rooftop temples to house music and stilettos) or grit (sticky-floored dive bars with lawn furniture on the patio). Beirutis are known for their hospitality: as a visitor, you’ll easily make friends wherever you end up, and you’ll probably even score an invitation to Sunday lunch with the family in the village.
After decades of war and political turmoil, Beirut’s artists and makers continue to produce boundary-pushing works as the city rebuilds.
The spotless tile boardwalk sparkled in the setting sun as the sea lapped languidly against the rocks below.